Posted on 23 January 2013 by La Habra Journal
By Nathan Percy
La Habra Journal
After being shutout in the third quarter, the Whittier Christian boys basketball team dropped a much needed Olympic League game against Maranatha, 46-41, Tuesday night at Whittier Christian High.
With a deficit as high as eight points against the Minutemen in the second quarter, Whittier Christian ended the first half on a 12-0 run to take a four-point halftime lead.
However, the momentum did not carry over and the Heralds tried to up the tempo in the third quarter, which led to a handful of missed shots.
“We were feeling good about the way we ended the half, I liked the heart that the boys played with down by eight,” said Sherwin Durham, Whittier Christian head coach. “Unfortunately it didn’t continue in the third quarter and our guys have to find other ways of scoring.”
The points came back in the fourth quarter, but with the Heralds in foul trouble, Maranatha iced the game on free throws.
Pepperdine-bound guard Jeremy Major led all scorers with 14 points for the Minutemen. Caylan Swinnie added 13 points for the visitors.
Ryan Esslinger led the Heralds with nine points and three assists, while center Stephen Nolin accumulated eight points and seven rebounds.
The Heralds will head north on Friday night for a tilt against Heritage Christian, which beat the Heralds 54-52 in the teams’ first meeting at Whittier Christian.